Front guard for automobiles



Feb. 23 1926.y

R. R. MGGREGOR FRONT `GUARD Fon AUTOMOBILESy Filed May '7 1925 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. -23 1926.

R. R. MCGREGOR FRONT GUARD FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed May '7 1925 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Arammed Feb. 2s, 192e.

ROBE'RT ROY MGGBEGOR, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FRONT GUARD ron ATOMOBILES.

Kapplicativa sied 'may 7, 1925. serial No'. 28,537.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ROBERT ROY, M0- GREGOR, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in FrontGuards for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to protective devices for automobiles and othermotor vehicles such as are commonly mountedon the front end of thevehicle frame and are desiglned to protect the radiator, lamps and ot erfragile parts from injury in the event of collision with another tionaryobjects. y

The main objects of the invention are, to provide an improved frontguard combining the functions of abumper and a radiator fenderorprotector; to provide a new and'improved grid of a simple, inexpensiveand efficient structure capable of being easily and quickly assembled;to provide new and improved means for mounting the grid on ,25 the frontof the machine frame, said mounting means including lcushioning springsthrough the agency of 'which the grid is elastically yieldable both.rearwardly and angularly; to provide a grid frame and spring supportsor carriers therefor of such a structure that the grid may be readilyadjusted vertically with reference .to its spring supports so as toprotect radiators of varying heights to provide a radiator fender orguard which may be readily mounted and supported upon the forward.tie-rod which, in numerous makes of automobiles, connects and spacesthe forward end portions of the side bars of the -chassis frame; fand,generally, to provide an improved front guard of the character specifiedof light and strong construction, low cost of manufacture, and neat andattractive appearance.

Other objects and attendant advantages of the invention will be apparentto persons familiar with the art from the following detaileddescription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings whereinI have illustrated one simple and practical lembodi- 50. ment of theinvention, and in which Fig. 1 is a frontgelevationv of an automovehicleor stabile equipped with my improved guard or fender;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, viewed from the right of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing in side elevation one of the .S-springsupports for the grid; and

Fig. 5.is an enlarged detail of the uppery left hand corner ofthe grid,partly in ver-` Ahorizontal tie-rods 14 (Fig. 5) extending through theupper and vlower ends of the side bars 13 and threaded to receive nuts14. Mounted end to end on the upper rod 14 is .a group of sleevecastings' 15, each formed with a central transversely disposed boss 16formed with a tapped socket 17 in its lower end. On 'the lower rod 14 ismounted a corresponding group of sleeve castings 18 each formed with acentral transversely disposed boss 19 having a similar tapped socketinits upper end. Threaded intothe tapped socketsof opposed bosses 16 and19 are a group of vertically disposed uniformly spaced rods 20 which, asshown in lie slightly in advance of the vertical plane of therectangular frame structure on which they are mounted and are preferablybowed slightly forwardly. By reason of such forwardly bowed form, thegrid rods 2O are less liable to be `ermanently bent through 'collisionthan i they were straight.

In the side frame bars 13 'are formed upper and lower groups of equallyspaced holes 21 and 22 (Fig. 4)., in corresponding holes of which groupsare mounted bolts 23and 24 that sup Ort the upper and lower ends ofgapair of -shaped bar springs 25. These springs are preferably ofconsiderable height, approximating that of the grid itself, and thelower rear limb of each spring is Astraightened throughout a portion ofits Fig. 3,-

' length to provide a flat vertical portion 25,

through which the spring is attached to the rod 14 by the means clearlyshown in Figs. 2 and 4. Referring to these gures, 26 and 27 designate apair Aof clamp blocks concaved on their inner opposed faces to tit therod 11 and formed with apertured'corner lugs or ears 28 and 29respectively, through ywhich are passed a pair of U-bolts 30 secured bynuts 31; said U-bolts embracing the vertical sections 25 of the springs25 and clamping the clamp block 26 thereto. The clam 1s locked against`turning on the rod 11 y through a boss 33 on the outer face of the clampblock -27 and secured by a lock nut 34'.

The parts making up the rid may be very easily and quickly assemled byfirst screwing the sleeve castings 15 and 18 onto the threaded ends ofthe fender rods20, then laying the said rodsside by side with thesleevecastings in alinement, then passing the rods 14 througlh the sleevecastings, then passin the side ars 13 over the ends of the ro s, andfinally applying and tighten# ing the nuts 15. This done, the largesupand , springs,

orting sprindfs 25 may be quickly attached by ap lying tlie fasteningbolts 23 and 24; ally the entire structure may be mounted on the rod 11by applying the inner clamp members and U-bcltsk to the then applyingthe4outer clam-p members, tightening the nuts 31 of the U- bolts,. and

.The S-springs not only support the grid in position, but constitute h1hly resilient `and yieldable back-stays to cusiion collision blowsencountered by the grid. Manifestly thelatter, when struck, can yieldnot only bodily rearwardly but also in a forward or rearward tiltingdirection accordingly as the blow is received below or above the-vertical center of the grid. Each spring 25 will also yieldindependently of the other in resisting side blows or'thrusts on thegrid. The

described grid support thus eprovides a V lessens -the likelihood highlyflexible and resilient backlng for the gr1d which both reduces the'shockof collision on the car itself and, in' a measure,

of deformation or other injury to the grid itself. The grid it is manimay be set higher or lower,

as 'required by any particular installation, by adjustment of 'the'attaching bolts 23 and 24 in the series of holes 21 and 22,respectively, in an obvious manner..

Whiley the structural details of the d evice herein shown and describedhave been designed with a special view to effecting the stated pur osesand objects of the invention,

est that these details may be considerably varied for modified withoutdeparting from the substance or sacrificing.

-a set screw 32 threaded' finally tightening upV the set` rectan any ofthe advantages or utilities of the invention; and hence I reserve allsuch variations and modifications as fall within the spirit and purviewof I Claim- '1. An automobile vertical side bars, horizontal rodsconnect ing the upper and lower ends of said' bar s, sleeves mounted endto end on said rods and each formed with a lug,l and rods attached attheir upper and lower ends to said lugs.

2. An automobile fender grid comprising vertical side bars, the upperand lower ends of said bars, sleeves mounted end to end on said rods andeach formed centrally thereof with atransversely disposed socketed lug,and rods mounted at their upper and lower ends in said lugs.`

3. An automobile fender grid comprising vertical side bars, h'orizontalrods connecting the upper and lower ends of said bars, sleeve fendergrid comprising the appended claims. o

horizontal rods connecting and eachk formed on its front side centrallythereof with a transversely disposedlug having a threaded socket', andforwardly bowed rodsv threaded at their. upper and lower ends in saidlugs.

' 4. The combination with a substantially rectangular automobile fenderid, of a pair of springs attached to the si e members of said grid andwholly supporting the latter, and means the side frame bars of anautomobile chassls.

5. The combination vwith a substantially lar automobile fender grid, ofa pair o S-shaped springs attached at their upper and lower ends totheside members ofv grid and wholly supporting the latter, .105

said and means for attaching said springs to the side frame bars of anautomobile chassis.

6. The combination with a substantially rectangular pair of S-shaed barsprings attached at their upper an bers of said latter, said springsformedwith vertically disposed flattened portions on their lower rearsides, and means for attaching said attened portions to the side framebars of an automobile chassis.

lowerends to the side memgrid and wholly supporting the for attachingsaid springs to.

loo"- automobile fender grid, of a` 7 The Acombination with the sideframe bars of an automobile chassis, and a rod connecting and spacing'the forward lend por- .tions thereof, of a substantially rectangularautomobile fender grid, s ringsattached to the side members of sai gridand wholly supporting the latter, and clamps connecting said springs tosaid rod. j

8. The combination with the side frame bars of an automobile chassis,andarod connectingll and spacing the forward end portions t ereof, of asubstantially rectangular automobile fender springs attached at t eirupper and lower rid, S-shaped bar:

f 1,574,100 p Q ends to the side members of said grid and spaced boltholes, of a pair of S-shaped l0 wholly supporting the latter, saidsprings springs -constituting elastic supports for said :formed withvertically disposed flattenedgrid, and bolts connecting the upper andportions on their lower rear sides, and lower ends of said springs tosaid side frame 5 clamps attaching said Hattened portions to barsthrough engagement with correspondsaid rod. mg holes of said series,whereby said grid 15 9. The combination with an automobile is verticallyadjustable with reference to fender grid including vertical flat sidesaid supportings rins. frame bars having upper and lower series of ROBET OY MCGREGOR.

